Coconino News

Tickets for the 2024 Lumberjack Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony are now available, the Northern Arizona University (NAU) athletic department announced today.

The event will honor former NAU student-athletes, including the men's cross country National Championship teams from 2016, 2017, and 2018; women's golfer and three-time Big Sky Conference Champion Sophia Choi; volleyball player and AVCA All-American Janae Vander Ploeg (McDonnell); and football player David Heasman, a two-time All-Big Sky honoree.

Scheduled for Friday, Aug. 30 at the Student-Athlete High Performance Center on NAU's campus, the event will begin with a social hour in the Grand Hall at 5 p.m., followed by dinner and the program from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets are priced at $75 per person, which includes dinner and a drink ticket. Table sponsorships are also available for $1,000 per table, offering premium seating for ten guests along with additional benefits.

Registration closes on Aug. 9, and inquiries can be directed to Taylor Lais via email at Taylor.Lais@nau.edu.

Established in 1981, the Lumberjack Athletic Hall of Fame honors student-athletes, coaches, staff, and teams who have made significant contributions to NAU Athletics. This year's class was selected by an NAU Athletics' Hall of Fame committee comprising eight Lumberjack Hall of Famers among its thirteen members.

Eligibility criteria for nomination include a five-year period after concluding their careers at Northern Arizona University for former student-athletes, coaches, and staff. Teams may be nominated based on extraordinary accomplishments such as NCAA or conference championships.

Sophia Choi was recognized as a three-time Big Sky Conference Golfer of the Year during her tenure from 2004-08. "Thank you for this honor," said Choi upon her induction announcement. "This could not have been possible without the support of my teammates, coach, and NAU athletic department."

David Heasman played football for NAU from 1993-98 and earned All-Big Sky recognition in both 1996 and 1997 as a guard. Reflecting on his induction into the Hall of Fame, Heasman said: "Flagstaff and NAU hold a special place in my heart."

Janae Vander Ploeg (McDonnell) excelled in volleyball from 2012-15 and became NAU's first AVCA All-American in program history in her senior year. "Being inducted into the NAU Hall of Fame fills me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude," McDonnell stated.

The men's cross country teams from 2016 through 2018 set high standards by winning consecutive NCAA National Championships under coaches Eric Heins and Michael Smith. Current Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Michael Smith remarked: "These teams made history... We look forward to honoring these teams."

The inductees will be formally recognized during the ceremony on August 30th.